NATURAL UNITS: THE MUON LIFETIME

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References: Amitabha Lahiri & P. B. Pal, A First Book of Quantum Field
Theory, Second Edition (Alpha Science International, 2004) - Chapter 1,
Problem 1.8.
In natural units h̄ = 1 and c = 1 which results in every physical quantity
being expressed in units of mass. As an example, the muon lifetime τ is
given by

G2F m5
(1) τ −1 =
192π 3
where m is the muon mass which is 106 MeV and GF is the Fermi cou-
pling constant, which comes out of the quantum field theory of the elec-
troweak interaction (more on this [much] later, hopefully). Since time has
natural units of inverse mass M−1 , the units of GF must be M−2 to make
the units balance out.
To convert this formula into SI units, we need to insert factors of h̄ and
c so that the LHS has units of s−1 . Since the units are currently M1 where
mass is expressed in MeV, which is an energy unit, and the units of h̄ are
those of action, which is (energy)×(time), we can divide by h̄ to get overall
units of (time)−1 . Thus

G2F m5
(2) τ −1 =
192π 3 h̄
Given that GF = 1.166 × 10−11 MeV−2 and h̄ = 6.58 × 10−22 MeV s, we
get

(3) τ −1 = 4.645 × 105 s−1

(4) τ = 2.15 × 10−6 s